{"id":3806,"date":"2026-09-11T17:34:55","date_gmt":"2026-09-11T17:34:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/itaca.ai\/?page_id=3806"},"modified":"2026-09-11T18:07:36","modified_gmt":"2026-09-11T18:07:36","slug":"artificial-intelligence-in-medicine-portugal","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/itaca.ai\/en\/inteligencia-artificial-en-medicina-portugal\/","title":{"rendered":"Artificial intelligence for doctors in Portugal"},"content":{"rendered":"
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PORTUGAL CONTEXT<\/p>\n\n

Artificial intelligence for doctors in Portugal<\/h1>\n\n

Artificial intelligence for doctors in Portugal can help prepare documentation, organize medical history, and consult evidence. Its use must preserve the clinical process and professional control.<\/p>\n\n

The Portuguese framework combines rights to health information, duties of confidentiality, European data protection, and digital services shared by the SNS.<\/p>\n\n

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Understand Portugal's framework<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
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\ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\uddf9 Portugal<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Central document:<\/strong> clinical process.<\/p>\n\n

Health information:<\/strong> It belongs to the person.<\/p>\n\n

Custody:<\/strong> It corresponds to the health units.<\/p>\n\n

SNS Exchange:<\/strong> Electronic Health Record.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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What a clinical process in Portugal must preserve<\/h2>\n\n

The Law No. 12\/2005<\/a> defines the clinical process as any record, computerized or not, containing health information of patients or family members. The information belongs to the individual; the system units act as custodians.<\/p>\n\n

Available information<\/strong><\/td>The process must gather the relevant medical information about the person and their care.<\/td><\/tr>
Authorship and supervision<\/strong><\/td>The information is recorded by the physician or computerized under their supervision by another professional bound by confidentiality.<\/td><\/tr>
Need for access<\/strong><\/td>Professional access is limited to what is strictly necessary to provide care.<\/td><\/tr>
Confidentiality<\/strong><\/td>The unit must prevent unauthorized access and protect systems, equipment, and backups.<\/td><\/tr>
Separation and Traceability<\/strong><\/td>Systems must apply access levels and separate health and genetic information from other personal data.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n

An AI tool can prepare text, but it does not change the ownership of the information or the duty of confidentiality. The clinical documentation guide with AI for Portugal turns these principles into an operational review.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Marco de Portugal<\/p>\n\n

Health information, GDPR and NHS digital services<\/h2>\n\n

Portugal combines specific national rules on clinical information with the GDPR and Law No. 58\/2019. SPMS services facilitate access and exchange, but each unit maintains responsibilities for its clinical process.<\/p>\n\n

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Law 12\/2005<\/h3>\n\n

Define health information, ownership, custody, professional access, and clinical process requirements.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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GDPR<\/h3>\n\n

Treat health data as a special category and require a legal basis, minimization, security, and accountability.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Law 58\/2019<\/h3>\n\n

Enforces the GDPR in Portugal and develops national rules for the processing of personal data.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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RSE<\/h3>\n\n

The Electronic Health Record allows authorized professionals to consult shared information within the SNS.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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University and reference hospital centers in Portugal<\/h2>\n\n

The recent reorganization of the SNS groups hospital and primary care into Local Health Units. Among the reference centers for complexity, teaching, or research are:<\/p>\n\n

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ULS in Santa Maria \u2197<\/span><\/a><\/h3>\n\n

Lisbon.<\/strong> It includes the Hospital de Santa Maria, a high-complexity university center and medical training facility.<\/p>\n\n

S\u00e3o Jo\u00e3o Local Health Unit \u2197<\/span><\/a><\/h3>\n\n

Porto.<\/strong> University hospital serving as a reference center for the north of the country.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Portuguese Institute of Oncology of Lisbon \u2197<\/span><\/a><\/h3>\n\n

Lisbon.<\/strong> Specialized institute for cancer care, research, and education.<\/p>\n\n

Portuguese Institute of Oncology of Porto \u2197<\/span><\/a><\/h3>\n\n

Porto.<\/strong> Oncological reference center with clinical, scientific, and educational activities.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

Non-exhaustive selection of benchmark public institutions. This is not a ranking nor does it indicate affiliation with Itaca.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Clinical Process, CSR, and Support Application<\/h2>\n\n

The ESR facilitates access to shared information, but it does not replace the complete process maintained by each unit. An AI application occupies a third level: it helps with a specific task.<\/p>\n\n

Element<\/th>Main function<\/th>Responsibility<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Clinical process<\/strong><\/td>Complete medical and healthcare record maintained by the health unit.<\/td>The person is the owner of the information; the unit acts as the custodian.<\/td><\/tr>
RSE<\/strong><\/td>Electronic service for consulting health information shared by authorized systems.<\/td>SPMS operates the infrastructure and the units control the data they generate.<\/td><\/tr>
Support application<\/strong><\/td>Tool that prepares documentation, organizes information, or assists with a clinical consultation.<\/td>It must be integrated under unit controls and professional review.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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What to review when incorporating clinical AI in Portugal<\/h2>\n\n

The evaluation must begin with the purpose: summarizing a conversation is not the same as recommending a diagnosis. The level of risk, the legal basis, and the technical obligations can change depending on the actual function.<\/p>\n\n

In all cases, the unit must restrict access, know where the data is processed, maintain traceability, and allow the professional to correct or reject the result before incorporating it into the clinical process.<\/p>\n\n

Scope:<\/strong> The GDPR, Portuguese legislation, professional rules, applicable European requirements, and the policies of the ULS or private entity must be reviewed.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Five questions to evaluate a tool<\/h3>\n\n